[Warning 15+]
Part Three"―Seriously, Your Vibe Hasn't Changed a Bit Since the Old Days!"Chapter 107...Man, I'm Really Bad with This
The meetup spot was right in front of the downtown station where Hayato'd been a few times with both Haruki and Himeko, but unlike the usual, it was at the West Exit instead of the East.
Unlike the East Exit, which was all about entertainment like karaoke, movies, and specialty shops centered around a plaza with a bird statue, the West Exit was packed with offices and eateries, makin' it look totally different even though it was part of the same city.
Since it was lunchtime, a sweet scent wafted from the department store basement connected to the station, and delicious smells drifted from the streets, practically suckin' people into the restaurants. Hayato couldn't help but gulp.
Since it was his first time here, Hayato was worried about whether he'd actually find 'em, but luckily, that turned out to be a total non-issue.
"...What the heck is that?"
Hayato stared wide-eyed and muttered to himself.
Hayato spotted the meetup spot instantly.
Or more accurately, Hayato spotted one of the boys he was meetin'―Kazuki―right away. Kazuki's tall, lean build and that fresh, handsome face made him stand out like a sore thumb even in a crowd.
"C'mon, it's totally fine, isn't it?"
"I told you no, plus I've got plans with some friends right now."
"Kazukichi has friends~? Kyaha! What even is that? That's hilarious~!"
It'd be one thing if it was just Kazuki, but seein' him with this flashy girl talkin' all friendly-like made it even worse.
Even the people passin' by couldn't help but stare at 'em while they walked. Hayato was right there with 'em.
Hayato checked out the girl who was all over Kazuki.
Was she the same age, or maybe a bit older? She was slim, tall, and had sharp features that gave off a pretty mature vibe.
Her long, light-colored hair was tied up in a high style, and she was rockin' a pink top with denim hot pants that showed a lot of skin—definitely made a flashy impression.
She was the total opposite of Haruki. The kind of girl at the top of the class social ladder—a "normie" or what people usually call a gyaru.
(...Man, I'm really bad with this type.)
Hayato couldn't help but scowl. They were a breed he'd never run into back in Tsukinose, and their whole vibe was just... ...weird.
Slang and words Hayato'd never heard of, gettin' all loud and hyped up for reasons he couldn't even wrap his head around. Honestly, Hayato just had no clue how to act around 'em.
And the way she was actin' toward Kazuki was way too cozy.
She was constantly touchin' Kazuki and bein' all clingy, and the way she talked was super casual. Are they actually close or somethin'?
Hayato pulled out his phone to check the time. Still 15 minutes left until the meetup.
(...Iori isn't here yet either. Eh, Kazuki'll probably deal with that situation himself sooner or later.)
Hayato decided to play the "I don't know 'em" card since he didn't want any part of that mess, and let his gaze wander around the area.
Being right in front of the station, the place was crawlin' with people.
More people than the entire population of Tsukinose were gettin' spat out of the Ticket Gates in a split second, only to be swallowed back up. It was like the station building was alive and breathin'.
Watchin' that constant flow made Hayato feel a bit dizzy—straight-up crowd sickness.
"..."
Tryin' to focus on somethin' that wasn't movin', Hayato glanced toward a wall and saw a display case filled with a bunch of mannequins rockin' swimsuits.
'Be the center of attention this summer!'
'The perfect choice for a beach backdrop!'
'30% OFF everything until the end of July!'
Catchy slogans like those were dancin' all over the display case. Looks like they belonged to the department store connected to the station.
For a split second, an image of Haruki flashed through Hayato's mind, and his expression turned all serious.
Hayato shook his head to clear it and turned his attention toward the city streets instead.
"Whoa!?"
Hayato couldn't help but let out a shout. There were colorful signs everywhere.
From big chains even Hayato knew—like ramen, beef bowls, curry, and hamburgers—to all kinds of spots servin' up exotic dishes from countries like Egypt, Turkey, and Vietnam. It wasn't just his appetite gettin' fired up; His curiosity was hittin' a peak too.
(Capricciosa, biryani, gazpacho... ...I've heard those names before, wonder what they're like? Wait, today's all about yakiniku—beef, baby, beef!)
Hayato had a serious thing for beef.
Back in Tsukinose, when people talked about "meat," they usually meant wild boar or deer. Sometimes even badger. They were all pests that trashed the crops, so Hayato'd often help with the butchery and get some cuts as a kickback.
As for beef, the cr*ppy distribution meant prices were usually sky-high, so chances to eat it were super rare. Maybe just some sukiyaki on New Year's Eve. And now, that same beef was all-you-can-eat.
(Let's see, first up is salted tongue with lemon, right? After that―)
"Hayato-kun!"
"―! K-Kazuki..."
Before Hayato knew it, Kazuki had made his way over, bringin' along the girl who'd been clingin' to Kazuki. Hayato remembered he'd accidentally shouted a second ago. Was that how Hayato got spotted?
Even though Kazuki looked relieved, his voice had a bit of a "Hey, man" tone to it.
Feelin' a bit guilty, Hayato muttered a "My bad." while lookin' away, only to end up lockin' eyes with the girl.
Cr*p. By the time Hayato realized it, it was too late. The girl, catchin' sight of Hayato, blinked a few times and then slowly narrowed her eyes.
Author's Notes:
Looks like the digital copies (LN) and the ones in the city are already hittin' the shelves, but tomorrow's officially the big day!
I saw all the purchase reports rollin' in on Twitter (now X) and just got so hyped up that I ended up crankin' this out...
My bad that it's a bit shorter than usual, but hey, it's still 2,000 characters, alright?! Meow!
I really wanna do a sequel (whimper)
☆☆☆
☆ ・ω・☆☆ Did'ja read this one too~?
☆☆☆
c(_ｕｕノ
☆。☆
ミ ハックシュ ☆ o☆
`ミ｀д´∵゜。o ☆ Reviews, please!
c(_ｕｕノ ☆☆ ☆
∧∧
( ・ω・) ★★★
c(_ｕｕノ ★ ★★★ ★
★★★★★
Meow!
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
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Donations are very much appreciated.
Your donations really support us to finish this novel from here until the end, so please consider to support us.
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• Indonesian / Bahasa Indonesia
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The meetup spot was right in front of the downtown station where Hayato'd been a few times with both Haruki and Himeko, but unlike the usual, it was at the West Exit instead of the East.
Unlike the East Exit, which was all about entertainment like karaoke, movies, and specialty shops centered around a plaza with a bird statue, the West Exit was packed with offices and eateries, makin' it look totally different even though it was part of the same city.
Since it was lunchtime, a sweet scent wafted from the department store basement connected to the station, and delicious smells drifted from the streets, practically suckin' people into the restaurants. Hayato couldn't help but gulp.
Since it was his first time here, Hayato was worried about whether he'd actually find 'em, but luckily, that turned out to be a total non-issue.
"...What the heck is that?"
Hayato stared wide-eyed and muttered to himself.
Hayato spotted the meetup spot instantly.
Or more accurately, Hayato spotted one of the boys he was meetin'―Kazuki―right away. Kazuki's tall, lean build and that fresh, handsome face made him stand out like a sore thumb even in a crowd.
"C'mon, it's totally fine, isn't it?"
"I told you no, plus I've got plans with some friends right now."
"Kazukichi has friends~? Kyaha! What even is that? That's hilarious~!"
It'd be one thing if it was just Kazuki, but seein' him with this flashy girl talkin' all friendly-like made it even worse.
Even the people passin' by couldn't help but stare at 'em while they walked. Hayato was right there with 'em.
Hayato checked out the girl who was all over Kazuki.
Was she the same age, or maybe a bit older? She was slim, tall, and had sharp features that gave off a pretty mature vibe.
Her long, light-colored hair was tied up in a high style, and she was rockin' a pink top with denim hot pants that showed a lot of skin—definitely made a flashy impression.
She was the total opposite of Haruki. The kind of girl at the top of the class social ladder—a "normie" or what people usually call a gyaru.
(...Man, I'm really bad with this type.)
Hayato couldn't help but scowl. They were a breed he'd never run into back in Tsukinose, and their whole vibe was just... ...weird.
Slang and words Hayato'd never heard of, gettin' all loud and hyped up for reasons he couldn't even wrap his head around. Honestly, Hayato just had no clue how to act around 'em.
And the way she was actin' toward Kazuki was way too cozy.
She was constantly touchin' Kazuki and bein' all clingy, and the way she talked was super casual. Are they actually close or somethin'?
Hayato pulled out his phone to check the time. Still 15 minutes left until the meetup.
(...Iori isn't here yet either. Eh, Kazuki'll probably deal with that situation himself sooner or later.)
Hayato decided to play the "I don't know 'em" card since he didn't want any part of that mess, and let his gaze wander around the area.
Being right in front of the station, the place was crawlin' with people.
More people than the entire population of Tsukinose were gettin' spat out of the Ticket Gates in a split second, only to be swallowed back up. It was like the station building was alive and breathin'.
Watchin' that constant flow made Hayato feel a bit dizzy—straight-up crowd sickness.
"..."
Tryin' to focus on somethin' that wasn't movin', Hayato glanced toward a wall and saw a display case filled with a bunch of mannequins rockin' swimsuits.
'Be the center of attention this summer!'
'The perfect choice for a beach backdrop!'
'30% OFF everything until the end of July!'
Catchy slogans like those were dancin' all over the display case. Looks like they belonged to the department store connected to the station.
For a split second, an image of Haruki flashed through Hayato's mind, and his expression turned all serious.
Hayato shook his head to clear it and turned his attention toward the city streets instead.
"Whoa!?"
Hayato couldn't help but let out a shout. There were colorful signs everywhere.
From big chains even Hayato knew—like ramen, beef bowls, curry, and hamburgers—to all kinds of spots servin' up exotic dishes from countries like Egypt, Turkey, and Vietnam. It wasn't just his appetite gettin' fired up; His curiosity was hittin' a peak too.
(Capricciosa, biryani, gazpacho... ...I've heard those names before, wonder what they're like? Wait, today's all about yakiniku—beef, baby, beef!)
Hayato had a serious thing for beef.
Back in Tsukinose, when people talked about "meat," they usually meant wild boar or deer. Sometimes even badger. They were all pests that trashed the crops, so Hayato'd often help with the butchery and get some cuts as a kickback.
As for beef, the cr*ppy distribution meant prices were usually sky-high, so chances to eat it were super rare. Maybe just some sukiyaki on New Year's Eve. And now, that same beef was all-you-can-eat.
(Let's see, first up is salted tongue with lemon, right? After that―)
"Hayato-kun!"
"―! K-Kazuki..."
Before Hayato knew it, Kazuki had made his way over, bringin' along the girl who'd been clingin' to Kazuki. Hayato remembered he'd accidentally shouted a second ago. Was that how Hayato got spotted?
Even though Kazuki looked relieved, his voice had a bit of a "Hey, man" tone to it.
Feelin' a bit guilty, Hayato muttered a "My bad." while lookin' away, only to end up lockin' eyes with the girl.
Cr*p. By the time Hayato realized it, it was too late. The girl, catchin' sight of Hayato, blinked a few times and then slowly narrowed her eyes.
Author's Notes:
Looks like the digital copies (LN) and the ones in the city are already hittin' the shelves, but tomorrow's officially the big day!
I saw all the purchase reports rollin' in on Twitter (now X) and just got so hyped up that I ended up crankin' this out...
My bad that it's a bit shorter than usual, but hey, it's still 2,000 characters, alright?! Meow!
I really wanna do a sequel (whimper)
☆☆☆
☆ ・ω・☆☆ Did'ja read this one too~?
☆☆☆
c(_ｕｕノ
☆。☆
ミ ハックシュ ☆ o☆
`ミ｀д´∵゜。o ☆ Reviews, please!
c(_ｕｕノ ☆☆ ☆
∧∧
( ・ω・) ★★★
c(_ｕｕノ ★ ★★★ ★
★★★★★
Meow!
TL: Reeze27
ED: Reeze27
PR: Reeze27
If you like our work, please consider supporting us on Ko-fi. 🙏
Support Us: https://ko-fi.com/ninjacross
Donations are very much appreciated.
Your donations really support us to finish this novel from here until the end, so please consider to support us.
Follow Our Official WhatsApp Channel: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaRa6nHCsU9OAB0U370F
Read in other languages:
• Indonesian / Bahasa Indonesia
←Previous Table of Contents Next→